Combination bag and closure

ABSTRACT

A plastic film bag provided with an accompanying closure member; the closure member being a flexible tie strip detachably secured to the bag; the mouth of the bag being formed with openings for threading the tie strip therethrough to constrict the mouth of the bag.

United States Patent 1191 Korn [451 Feb. 13, 1973 [5 1 COMBINATION BAGAND CLOSURE 2,563,616 8/1951 Perino ....229/63 x [76] inventor: MeyerKorn 1980 South Ocean 3,426,959 2/1969 Lemelson ..229/62 X Dflve,"allandale, 3309 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [1221 Filed April 1211971 949,658 2/1964 Great Britain ..229/63 [21] Appl. No.: 133,249

Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair 52 us. (:1 ..229/62, 150/11 fgf fg'gj iggrf Game [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 33/16 [58] Field of Search ..l50/1l; 229/62, 63 [57] ABSTRACT [56] References Cited A plastic film bagprovided with an accompanying closure member; the closure member being aflexible tie UNITED STATES PATENTS strip detachably secured to the bag;the mouth of the 3,217,971 11/1965 Shvetz ..229/62 bag being formed withopenings for threading the tie 3,285,309 11/1966 Northcott ..150/l1strip'therethrough to constrict the mouth of the bag. 3,107,842 10/1963Guilfoyle ..229/63 3,425,618 2/1969 Cohen ..229/62 X 8 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures COMBINATION BAG AND CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Plasticfilm bags are commonly used for receiving refuse; the filled bag beingdisposed of as a unit. However, since such bags are of the open mouthtype, closure means must be provided. Accordingly, tie strings, stripsor wires are separately provided and each filled bag is closed byapplying a tie string to the constricted mouth portion of the bag andtieing the same.

Such known bag closing procedures present several problems whichmilitate against a wholly satisfactory approach to the closure problem.Since the tieing strings are separate from the bags; an adequate supplyof the same must be kept on hand for application to the bags. Thisnecessarily involves storage of the tieing strings and regular check ofthe inventory thereof to avoid depletion of the item just when the sameis needed.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved bagconstruction which includes a flexible tieing means; such tieing meansbeing unitized with the bag so that the tieing means is available at alltimes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bag construction of thecharacter described, wherein the bag is formed of plastic film and thetieing means takes the form of a plastic film strip; the strip beingsecured in flat condition to the bag so as to avoid any problems instoring thebags.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bag construction ofthe character described, wherein the tieing means is of a nature as toallow the same to be assembled with the bag proper as the bag is beingformed.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a bag construction ofthe character described, wherein the tie strip is detachably secured atits terminal ends to a wall portion of the bag; the bag being providedwith openings adjacent the mouth thereof, the tie strip being detachedfrom the bag for threading through the openings, in a manner tofacilitate the threading operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bag of thecharacter described, wherein the tie strip is integral with at least oneof the bag panels; the tie strip being removable from the bag panelalong a line of perforations when the strip is to be used. a Yet afurther object of this invention is to provide a bag of the characterdescribed, wherein the bag is originally sealed at v the mouth portionthereof; the sealed mouth portions providing the tie strip upon removalthereof to provide the bag with an open mouth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bag constructionembodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1-3, 10designates a bag construction embodying the invention. The samecomprises similar, overlying panels 11, 12 which are of rectangularshape and formed of a thermoplastic resin film such as polyethylene orthe like. Panels 11, 12 may be seamed together along their side edges 13and the bottom edges 13A thereof, as by fusion in a manner known in theart. Alternatively, the bag 10 may be derived from tubular film which istransversely cut and seamed to fonn bottom edges 13A.

The bag 10 further comprises unseamed top edges 138 which provides themouth M of the bag. Means is provided for constricting and tieing themouth M of bag 10 after the same has been filled.

To this end, there is provided a tieband 14 of plastic film, which mayalso be of polyethylene or the like. Tieband 14 has a gauge somewhatgreater then the gauge of panels 11, 12. The tieband 14 is secured tothe bag 10 so as to lie flat against one of the panels ll, 12; say panel11. The bank 14 is secured at its opposite ends 15, 16 to the side edges13 of the bag by fusion or the like. Such operation may take place whenthe bag 10 is formed from seamed panels ll, 12, at which time band 14 isalso seamed to the side edges of said panels.

The panels 11, 12 are formed with a series of openings 17 locatedtransversely of the panels and immediately below the bottom edge 18 ofthe tieband 14, whose top edge 19 is located immediately below the topedges 13B of the panels 1 l, 12.

It will be apparent that after bag 10 is filled, the tieing means in theform of tieband 14 is immediately available. Accordingly, band 14 may bethen completely separated from panel 11 by pulling the same away atedges 15, 16. The separated band is then threaded through openings 17and the mouth M is constricted and the ends of band 14 are tiedtogether.

Alternatively, only one end of band 14 is separated from one'side edge13 of the bag, leaving the other end still attached. The free end of theband 14 is then threaded through openings 17, followed by constrictionof the mouth M of the bag, and finally, detachment of the secured end ofband 14 to allow both free ends to be tied together.

The diameter of openings 17 and the appropriate width of band 14 areselected in accordance with the gauge of the panels ll, 12. If the band14 has a gauge equal to or less than that of panels 1 1, 12, the samemay be folded longitudinally to double the thickness thereof. In allcases, by folding the band 14 along a longitudinal line, the same may beaccomodated on openings 17. 7

Alternatively, bag 10A, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, is similar to bag 10,except that in lieu of attached tieband 14; such tieing means is derivedfrom the bag panels 11, 12. To this end, the upper marginal edge portion20 provides the tie band, the same being separable from panels 11, 12 bya line of perforations 21 spaced below top edges 22. The band 20 thusseparated from the bag 10A, may be threaded through openings 17, aspreviously described to provide tie means for the mouth 23 of said bag.The band 20 may be of doubled thickness if perforations 21 extendthrough both panels 11, 12; or

of single thickness if the perforations 21 extend through only one ofsaid panels 11, 12.

In some instances, bags 25, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, are formed in amanner to seal upper marginal portions 30 of opposed panels 26, 27. Bag25 may thus be formed from flattened tubular film stock, beingtransversely cut sealed to form bottom sealed edge 29.

As the bags 25 come off the machine, the bag is closed due to themarginal seal at portions 30. The portions 30 provide the tie band,being separable along a line of perforations 31, spaced below top edges33. The perforations 31 being located immediately below the sealedportions 30; upon tearing off tie band 30, the bag 25 is provided withan open mouth simultaneously with the provision of tieing means for thebag 25; the doubled thickness of film portions 30 being threaded throughopenings 32 located immediately below the perforation line 31.

It will be apparent that in each of the embodiments, tieing meansaccompanies each bag; such tieing means being of a character as to lieflat, thereby facilitating packaging of the bags. Further, the tiebandsmay be readily and quickly manipulated to provide closure means for thebags.

lclaim:

l. A bag comprising opposed panel portions of plastic film, said panelsbeing interconnected at their side and bottom edges and providing amouth portion at the top edges thereof, and tieing means for theconstricted mouth portion of said bag, said tieing means comprising aflexible tie strip extending between the side edges of said panels, theterminal ends of said tie strip being removably secured to portions ofone of said panels, said panels being formed with a plurality of pairsof laterally spaced openings located below the mouth of said bag; saidtie strip being removable from said panel for threading through saidopenings in said panels, whereby to constrict the mouth portion of thebag and to tie the ends of said tie strip to retain the mouth of the bagin its constricted condition.

2. A bag as in claim 1 wherein the terminal ends of said tie stripextend to the side edges of said panels.

3. A bag as in claim 1 wherein said tie strip is formed of plastic filmof a gauge greater then that of said panels.

4. A bag as in claim 1 wherein said tie strip is located between themouth of said bag and said openings.

5. A disposable bag comprising opposed panel portions of plastic film,said panels being interconnected at their side and bottom edges, andtieing means for the mouth of the bag comprising a flat flexible tiestrip, and means for removably connecting said.tie strip in a flatcondition to at least one of said panels, said panels being formed witha plurality of laterally spaced openings adjacent the mouth of the bag,said tie strip being removable from said panel for threading throughsaid panel openings whereby to constrict the mouth of said bag, the endsof the tie strip then being adapted to be tied together.

6. A bag as in claim 5 wherein said tie strip extends between the sideedges of said panels, the top edge of the tie strip being locatedimmediately adjacent the mouth of the bag.

7. A bag as in claim 5, wherein said tie strip is integral with at leastone of said panels and is defined by a transversely disposed line ofperforations extending to the opposite side edges of said panels.

8. A bag as in claim 5, wherein said tie strip comprises narrow stripportions in opposed relation and respectively integral with said panels,said strip portions being sealed together and defined by a transverselydisposed line of perforations extending to the opposite side edges ofsaid panels.

1. A bag comprising opposed panel portions of plastic film, said panelsbeing interconnected at their side and bottom edges and providing amouth portion at the top edges thereof, and tieing means for theconstricted mouth portion of said bag, said tieing means comprising aflexible tie strip extending between the side edges of said panels, theterminal ends of said tie strip being removably secured to portions ofone of said panels, said panels being formed with a plurality of pairsof laterally spaced openings located below the mouth of said bag; saidtie strip being removable from said panel for threading through saidopenings in said panels, whereby to constrict the mouth portion of thebag and to tie the ends of said tie strip to retain the mouth of the bagin its constricted condition.
 1. A bag comprising opposed panel portionsof plastic film, said panels being interconnected at their side andbottom edges and providing a mouth portion at the top edges thereof, andtieing means for the constricted mouth portion of said bag, said tieingmeans comprising a flexible tie strip extending between the side edgesof said panels, the terminal ends of said tie strip being removablysecured to portions of one of said panels, said panels being formed witha plurality of pairs of laterally spaced openings located below themouth of said bag; said tie strip being removable from said panel forthreading through said openings in said panels, whereby to constrict themouth portion of the bag and to tie the ends of said tie strip to retainthe mouth of the bag in its constricted condition.
 2. A bag as in claim1 wherein the terminal ends of said tie strip extend to the side edgesof said panels.
 3. A bag as in claim 1 wherein said tie strip is formedof plastic film of a gauge greater then that of said panels.
 4. A bag asin claim 1 wherein said tie strip is located between the mouth of saidbag and said openings.
 5. A disposable bag comprising opposed panelportions of plastic film, said panels being interconnected at their sideand bottom edges, and tieing means for the mouth of the bag comprising aflat flexible tie strip, and means for removably connecting said tiestrip in a flat condition to at least one of said panels, said panelsbeing formed with a plurality of laterally spaced openings adjacent themouth of the bag, said tie strip being removable from said panel forthreading through said panel openings whereby to constrict the mouth ofsaid bag, the ends of the tie strip then being adapted to be tiedtogether.
 6. A bag as in claim 5 wherein said tie strip extends betweenthe side edges of said panels, the top edge of the tie strip beinglocated immediately adjacent the mouth of the bag.
 7. A bag as in claim5, wherein said tie strip is integral with at least one of said panelsand is defined by a transversely disposed line of perforations extendingto the opposite side edges of said panels.